Sidney Dobner helps the U of R Cougars get back to the Final Four

Dobner joined the University of Regina Cougars women’s basketball team for the 2012-13 campaign, but she redshirted that season — and therefore watched as the Cougars competed in (and won) the 2013 Canada West Final Four in Calgary.

Regina went to the Final Four in Edmonton the following spring, but Dobner didn’t play that time because she was hurt.

Last spring, Dobner again didn’t participate in the conference’s championship tournament in Vancouver, partly because she was injured — but mainly because Regina didn’t qualify.

So it wasn’t a surprise that the fifth-year guard was pretty happy Saturday after the Cougars qualified for the 2016 tournament in Saskatoon with a 65-59 victory over the Calgary Dinos at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health and Sport.

“(Getting to the Final Four) is something we’ve been talking about since I first got here,” Dobner said after the Cougars swept Calgary in a best-of-three quarterfinal.

“The year that I redshirted, we won the Canada West championship. Ever since then, I’ve thought, ‘I was a part of that team, but I wasn’t on the floor with that team.’ So, being able to help carry this team to this position is huge.”

Head coach Dave Taylor had guided Regina to seven straight Final Fours before it missed the event last year. Getting back to the conference championship tournament in 2016 provided him with what he called a sense of “normalcy.”

“What I said to the girls after the game was, ‘Last year was depressing to me. This year is awesome,’ ” Taylor said. “I hate losing. I didn’t want to know what was happening last year. I didn’t want to know the scores. I didn’t care.”

The Cougars will play the MacEwan Griffins in one of Friday’s semifinals. The winner of that game will face the winner of the Alberta Pandas-Saskatchewan Huskies semifinal in Saturday’s final.

The finalists will advance to the CIS championship tournament, March 17-20 in Fredericton, N.B.

Dobner played a huge part in keeping alive Regina’s drive to nationals. After averaging 7.7 points in 18 regular-season games, she scored 19 points in Friday’s 69-55 victory and then added 14 (with 11 rebounds) in Saturday’s clincher.

“Everybody’s surprised (by her scoring), but the Dinos made a concerted effort to take away our perimeter players,” Taylor said. “When they also try to take away our posts, who’s left?

“I’m Mr. Analytics and I don’t like mid-range pull-up jumpers, but those are her game. Yes, that was the most shot attempts (29) in a weekend she’s taken since she’s been here, but she’s smart. She wants to win, so she feeds the ball to where it needs to go.”

In many cases against the Dinos — who took away three-point threats Kehlsie Crone and Katie Polischuk — Dobner was where the ball went. As a result, she helped the Cougars reach the Final Four.

“This whole season, I’ve been playing every game like it’s my last, so (the tournament) won’t be a big change for me that way,” she said. “The atmosphere is going to be a little bit different and it’s going to be higher competition, but that’s the stuff I live for.

“Any basketball player wants to be in that moment when you’re on the court, giving it all you’ve got for that last play to win the whole thing.”

Charlotte Kot added 12 points Saturday for Regina. On Friday, Kot had 22 points in the Game 1 victory.

• The season ended for the Cougars men’s basketball team Saturday following an 86-73 loss to the Thompson Rivers WolfPack in Kamloops.

TRU, which also won 90-85 on Friday, won a best-of-three quarterfinal 2-1.

Jonathan Tull had 17 points and Brandon Tull added 14 for Regina in Saturday’s contest. On Friday, Aaron McGowan had 28 points for the Cougars.

Gallery: Cougars women's basketball team qualify for Final Four

Cougars guard Kehlsie Crone disagrees with a call during the second game of a Canada West quarterfinal against the Calgary Dinos in Regina on Saturday March 5, 2016. MICHAEL BELL/Regina Leader-Post

Cougars guard Sara Hubenig (7) drives to the basket while Dinos forward Emma Nieuwenhuizen, 2, tracks her during the second game of a Canada West quarterfinal against the Calgary Dinos in Regina on Saturday March 5, 2016. MICHAEL BELL/Regina Leader-Post

Cougars guard Katie Polishuk takes aim during the second game of a Canada West quarterfinal against the Calgary Dinos in Regina on Saturday March 5, 2016. MICHAEL BELL/Regina Leader-Post

Cougars forward Christina McCusker defends her team's basket during the second game of a Canada West quarterfinal against the Calgary Dinos in Regina on Saturday March 5, 2016MICHAEL BELL/Regina Leader-Post

Students attempt to distract a shooter during the second game of a Canada West quarterfinal against the Calgary Dinos in Regina on Saturday March 5, 2016.MICHAEL BELL/Regina Leader-Post

Cougars power forward speaks to an official during the second game of a Canada West quarterfinal against the Calgary Dinos in Regina MICHAEL BELL/Regina Leader-Post

Cougars coach Dave Taylor speaks to an official during the second game of a Canada West quarterfinal against the Calgary Dinos in Regina on Saturday March 5, 2016. MICHAEL BELL/Regina Leader-Post

Interim director of athletics Curtis Atkinson watches the second game of a Canada West quarterfinal against the Calgary Dinos in Regina on Saturday March 5, 2016. MICHAEL BELL/Regina Leader-Post

Cougars forward Charlotte Kot about to pivot toward the basket during the second game of a Canada West quarterfinal against the Calgary Dinos in Regina on Saturday March 5, 2016. MICHAEL BELL/Regina Leader-Post

Cougars guard Sidney Dobner goes for two points during the second game of a Canada West quarterfinal against the Calgary Dinos in Regina on Saturday March 5, 2016. MICHAEL BELL/Regina Leader-Post

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